Annoyed with all the religious nuts on campus

[lilwriter85]

We have a smallish state university here in town that I went to for some time. The students were actually worse in some cases then any people who showed up to preach. We got the Gideons once but they were mostly polite and easily turned down with a smile and a "No thank you, I have one already!"

Campus Crusade for Christ on the other hand were a scary group. Like other said they'd advertise fun activities (spa night, free food, sports activities, etc) and in teeny tiny letter put on the bottom that it was sponsored by CRU. Show up, have fun, and then there would be random Bible reading and preaching. I went to one event before I decided I didn't want to put up with them even for whatever activity or free stuff they were handing out. Although I did get a nice laundry bag from them that way. The worst part was if you got something from them or showed up for an event they'd have you fill out this little sheet with your campus address and religious beliefs among other things then would track people down and bug them on a regular basis to join activities or go to their weekly worship meetings. I called campus security on them once because a group of them got together after their regular meeting and decided to hang out in the stairwell in front of one of their apartments and sing/play guitar. It echoed all the way down the hall and up the stairs - after quiet hours when I needed sleep for class the next day. They'd do that on a regular basis too. I was so happy when some of them graduated and they stopped that.

There were a few groups like that on my college campus. There was Newman Center group which was a Catholic group, there was Baptist Student Union, Christian Student Center, LDS group, Presbyterian group and a few others. There was one Muslim group and Jewish group, but their facilities were located off campus. The Christian groups operated and advertised with the same ways by offering barbecues, pizza dinners, other free food, sports, movie nights and other free stuff etc. The BSU and CSC also stated on their flyers that there would be short bible readings or sermons during events. One of my friends went to the BSU several times and that group was partially led by a local pastor, so he limited some activities that the group had. Movie nights had to be Christian only movies and for sporting events girls had to wear shorts that touched the knees. My friend stopped going to BSU activities mainly because he didn't like the attitudes of some of the people in that group. CSC also had a reputation of being strict with members and activities. The Catholic group was pretty laid back about a lot of things. The LDS group members were pretty quiet about their group.

[FaustianSlip]

Well, I should have known that this thread would give me whackadoo karma to cash in. I'm en route to Australia for a vacation at the moment (currently on a layover), and last night, there was a guy darting around the boarding area at the airport handing out "Are You a Good Person?" tracts. In English. Remember, this is at an airport in China (and the guy handing them out was Chinese). I mean, hey, whatever rubs your proverbial Buddha, I suppose, but that seems like a misdirection of resources to me. It was very weird; I've never had someone proselytize to me in China before, and only once in Asia.

Ah, well. Happy Elul, I suppose. :roll:

[YeOscarInat]

I'm a long-time lurker, but interested in this thread. As an admirer of the 1st amendment of the US Constitution, I like the fact that any group (Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hare Krishna, Cornholio, etc.) can make a show of their opinion and faith in public. I often don't agree, but I am in no way forced to stop/listen/take literature. I've lived in countries where people do not have the same freedom, and I treasure ours even more after experiencing that.

[CarlottaValdez]

Ah, campus preachers. I always made a point of completely ignoring them in every way, though the Gideons would get a polite "No thank you" from me.

A few years ago, there was a trend of rickrolling the more annoying campus preachers. A good example here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMFr42lfzI

[let-them-eat-cake]

On my facebook, a friend of a friend posted a pic of some guy on her campus (somewhere in eastern Illinois) holding up a sign that said "You need Jesus. It's hell without him." :lol: :roll: